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Supported by the Seoul Metropolitan Government and co-organized by Bella Music Foundation and the Korean Disabled Performing Arts Association, the 2024 Seoul Int'l Music Festival & Art Market for Blind Artists was a very successful series of events.
On June 6th, the 2024 Seoul Int'l Music Competition for Blind and Visually Impaired Artists was held, with numerous blind musicians competing from all over the world. Renowned music professors from both foreign and Korean universities, along with our CEO Mira Kim and CFO Hyong Jo, served as judges. Winners received awards from a prize pool of 20 million KRW to acknowledge their accomplishment. All the judges noted how they were amazed by the exceptional talents of the blind musicians. On June 7th, during the K-Mentor Class, visually impaired musicians had the opportunity to share not only music with distinguished music professors but also their diverse cultures with each other. That evening, the Legendary Professor Concert presented an intense night of outstanding performances by the amazing faculty. Finally, on June 8th, the Dream Forest Park Concert featured a day packed with performances, including orchestra collaborations with competition winners. At the Art Market for Artists, BMF held a booth which provided many great opportunities to meet visually impaired musicians, artists, and curious visitors, while promoting our foundation and mission.
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On the vibrant evening of last Sunday, April 28th, the 2024 BMF Music Festival for the Blind drew a packed house, showcasing the exceptional talents of the winners from the 2024 BMFSO Concerto Competition for the Blind: Jisun Kim (Violin, S. Korea), Yerko Difonis (Piano, Chile), Ioana Gandrabur (Guitar, Canada), and Valérie Poisson (Soprano, Canada). These gifted blind musicians took center stage as soloists, accompanied by the magnificent Bella Music Foundation Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Helen Cha-Pyo. Their performances were nothing short of breathtaking, leaving every member of the audience profoundly moved. During this special event, Mr. SoonKyu Shin, an experienced analyst with over 30 years of experience in stock and bond analysis, delivered a "Freedom" themed message as Wall Street's first blind professional analyst, showing support for blind musicians' professionalism. In recognition of Bella Music Foundation's outstanding contributions, we were honored with a Congressional Certificate of Recognition by Congressman Josh Gottheimer, and received a Certificate of Commendation from Bergen County Executive James J. Tedesco, III. View more photos here: Photo Gallery: BMF Festival on April 28th  The first part of the 2024-25 BMF International Music Festival Series for the Blind was very successful. We anticipate welcoming audiences, including the UNESCO Secretariat and representatives from 195 UNESCO member states, as invited guests for the finale of the music festival for the Blind at the UNESCO Headquarters in Paris in 2025.
Photo descriptions: The photo collection includes images of a poster showcasing the conductor and four soloists from the 2024 BMF Music Festival for the blind. In various shots, they are seen standing before the BMF Symphony Orchestra near a Steinway grand piano, smiling and holding flowers, while the audience stands and applauds. Several photos capture the event's full-house attendance. One particular image features guest speaker Mr. Shin delivering a speech on the stage's right side. Additionally, other photos capture the lobby bustling with people engaged in conversation. The final photo features an image showcasing the UNESCO headquarters' Main Auditorium in Paris. The theme that underpins our music festivals is connection. Blind communities worldwide have already demonstrated remarkable achievements, and we believe that fostering global connections among these communities can further amplify their impact and raise awareness. Given that music is our medium, the BMF International Music Festival serves as a platform intended to catalyze communication and foster community across linguistic barriers. By inviting talented blind musicians and esteemed speakers to share their stories at our festivals, each event embodies the ethos of collaboration and the unity of global communities working together to shape a brighter future. We are proud to host the BMF International Music Festival series for the Blind at UNESCO Headquarters' Main Auditorium in Paris, France, and in Fort Lee, NJ, USA. This collaborative endeavor involves blind organizations and musicians from around the globe. The festival is designed to spotlight the exceptional talents of blind musicians on prestigious stages worldwide, offering them a transformative space for healing and empowerment through the unifying force of music. It will showcase the distinguished winners of the 2024 BMFSO Concerto Competition as soloists performing with the BMF Symphony Orchestra. 2024 BMF International Music Festival for the Blind in the USA Date: Sunday, April 28th, 2024 at 5 PM Venue: Barrymore Film Center, Fort Lee, NJ, USA Address: 153 Main St, Fort Lee, NJ 07024 *This program is made possible in part by a grant administered by the Bergen County Division of Historic & Cultural Affairs from funds granted by the New Jersey State Council on the Arts. 2025 BMF International Music Festival for the Blind in France (UNESCO Headquarters) Date: in 2025 * Venue: UNESCO House: Main Auditorium (Room I) Address: 125 avenue de Suffren, Paris 7th, France *Our finale event at UNESCO for the BMF Music Festival series for the Blind, originally scheduled for October 15th, 2024, has been rescheduled to 2025.
We have been recently informed by the concerned services of UNESCO that the dates for the Autumn session of UNESCO’s Executive Board (one of the three constitutional organs of the Organization, consisting of fifty-eight Member States) have been advanced in accordance with a decision of the Executive Board taken at its last session. As such, it is now confirmed to take place from 9 to 24 October 2024. Furthermore, following recent decisions, activities may no longer take place during the sessions, particularly in the larger conference rooms, such as Room I, which is now required for certain Board meetings to accommodate all concerned Member State representatives. Taking this into consideration, we were informed that, despite attempts to find a suitable solution, UNESCO had to regretfully cancel or postpone several events, including ours planned on 15 October. We look forward to presenting this amazing event at UNESCO headquarters in Paris in 2025 and hope for your continued support. |